Childcare inquiry snubs Tasmania

A federal inquiry into childcare will not come to Tasmania.Source: News Limited

TASMANIANS should be given the chance to tell the Productivity Commission about their childcare needs, federal Labor members say.

The Productivity Commission, which released its draft report yesterday, will not hold public hearings in Tasmania in its inquiry into Child Care and Early Childhood Learning.

The Labor Member for Franklin, Julie Collins, and Labor Senator Carol Brown said Tasmania had vulnerable families that worked non-standard hours and many children who needed quality and affordable childcare.

The terms of reference for the inquiry specifically note that there are “shortfalls in reaching and properly supporting the needs of children with disabilities and vulnerable children, regional and rural families and parents who are moving from income support into study and employment”.

“It is vital that Tasmanians get to have a say on how their children are cared for in their early years of life,” Ms Collins said.

But Bass MP Andrew Nik­olic said yesterday public comment on the draft report could be made until September 5.

He said he had been advised that people who registered had the option of being contacted by phone or email to make their submissions.

Mr Nikolic said childcare affordability had become a nat­ional problem.

But Senator Brown said it made no sense for Prime Minister Tony Abbott to commission a review to seek ways to make childcare more affordable when he was also trying to make up to a billion dollars in cuts.